Sanitary faucet



Nov. 27, 1934. E. 1.. ROBERTS 1,982,071

" SANITARY FAUCET Filed July 24, 1953 fummE fay M [fit/6V7 for.

Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNlTED STATES was oFFicE 8 Claims.

10' Another objection to present faucets is the continual seepage of water from around the external operating end. This seeping water leaves unsightly accumulations on the exterior of the faucet and promotes the'collection of dust and 18 bacteria. In present types of faucets there is provided a push-button at oneend connected by a stem to a valve disc at the inner end. To make the faucet easy of operation and self closing, it is customary to have no packing gland or stuifing box on this stem. As a consequence, when the faucet is operated some of the water travels along the stern. When the head behind the water is appreciable, it is not unusual for water to leak by the push button at such rate as to enter the sleeve of the user or run over the hand and arm. Even when such does not take place, water will collect upon and around the button and give rise to the aforesaid objectionable and unsanitary conditions.

It is among the objects of this invention to prevent such leakage along the stem while at the same time providing a valve of large capacity, easy to operate, and which is selfseating.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a valve of the class described in which the valve disc and seat tend to wear evenly, and in which the valve and seat may be readily ground to a tight fit by a simple operation and without removingthe faucet or its valve.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a faucet of pleasing design and one which is easily kept clean.

Other objects and advantages of my invention I will appear hereinafter.

Bythe accompanying drawing I have illustrated one practical embodiment of my invention particularly suited to use with drinking water 0001- (Cl. 25113'Z) Figure 4 is a plan view of a part hereinafter known as the spacer.

The faucet shown consists of a tubular body 6, a spout '7 depending downwardly forwardly from the body, and other elements about tobe described. The body is of substantially uniform ,diameter throughout its length, with the exception of two spaced collars or annular enlargements 8 and 9 respectively. The rear end of the body is externally threaded as at 10 to receive a nut 11, while over the threads are fitted two washers 12 and 14 respectively. The collar 8 is just forward of the washer 14 and forms an abutment for same, being of the same external diameter. This washer 14= may beof rubber or other suitable material and does not come in contact with the water in the olla 15' to which the faucet is attached. The collar 8 and the washer is are external to the olla wall while the washer 12 and the nut 11 are internally of the olla 15 and serve to hold the faucet in place in the manner well known.

In keeping with the spirit of my invention, the

washer 12 is composed of fiber or other suitable material which will not impart taste or odor to the water.

The spout '7 is suitably spaced forwardly of the collar 8 and provides a central water course 16 communicating directly with the bore 17 of the faucet body. The collar 9 is just forwardly of the spout and forms a grip whereby two fingers of the operators hand may engage the collar while the thumb is used to operate the faucet. The collar 9 also serves another purpose by providing metal of increased thickness at this point without detracting from the appearance of the faucet as a whole and without complicating its manufacture.

Telescopically fitting the outer open end of the faucet body I provide a sleeve 18 having an integral nut or polygonal enlargement 19 on its outer end external to the faucet body. The sleeve is hollow and fits within the faucet body. This sleeve and the integral nut are hereinafter collectively known as the push-button and the fitof the sleeve is suchthat while it is readily moved reciprocally in the body, it acts as a guide for itself and for a valve stem 20.

In keeping with the spirit of my invention, I provide a metal, non-corrosive valve 21 which is of partial spherical shape and larger in diameter than the bore of the faucet body. The inner end of the body, Where it projects into the olla, is provided with a corresponding seat 22 on which the valve 21 is normally seated with. a small but complete annular area of contact.

An elongated flexible stem is provided, connected atone end permanently to the valve 21,

and at the other end to the push-button. This stem is of metal, treated to be non-corrosive, and

while it is of suitable diameter to act as a push rod, it is small enough to have the desired flexibility. I

From the foregoing it will be apparent that depression of the push-button to the position shown in Figure 1, will open or unseat the valve and water will be permitted to flow from the olla to the spout.

Just forwardly of the spout the valve stem passes through the usual guide 23 which is an integral part of the faucet body and which acts as a guide as Well as an intended means for preventing water from passing along the stem. This provision of guide is common to faucets of this general type but it has been found that it is far from satisfactory in practice. In the first place it cannot be made tight enough to prevent leakage and even if initially tight it will wear. new and comparatively tight it will not prevent capillary movement of water along the stem. It also happens that when a valve of this type is open the stem attracts a thin film of water and when the stem moves forwardly during closing of the valve, this thin film of water is carried along with the stem. This migrating water accumulates in the valve body between the push-button and the said guide and eventually seeps out around the push button, giving rise to unsatisfactory conditions above mentioned.

In conformity with a salient feature of the invention I provide a pair of spaced stem-wipers 24 and 25 respectively, held apart by a water-attracting spacer 26. The wipers are each formed from a disc of suitable material such as leather, fiber, composition or the like of such nature as to be inert in the presence of water and not to impart anytaste or odor thereto. Each wiper fits the .stem closely but is not packed or compressed around the stem sufficiently to produce any appreciable friction, nor are said wipers intended or employed to act as packing, in the strict sense of the word, Infact, as will be apparent hereinafter, the wiper 24 permits the passage of water along the stem to some extent, which it would not tral hole.

.On opposite sides of the spacer 26 are metal washers 29 and 30 respectively, serving mainly to prevent the spacer from distorting the washers or wipers. A third washer 31 is placed between the outer wiper and the push-button. A coiled spring 32 is compressed between the washer 31 and the push-button; said spring being partially contained within the sleeve of the push-button. These Washers act also as guides for the stem and to prevent the stem from wearing on the wipers,

and inso doing they insure against the central holes of the wipers being worn oversize. The spring 32 serves the other usual purpose of holding the valve seated, as Well as holding the wipers,

, washers and spacer respectively, in place.

Even when The operation of the faucet as a whole, and the function of the wipers and spacers, will now be described: When the push-button is moved inwardly to unseat the valve, water flows through the bore of the faucet body, reaches the guide 23 and is directed thereby, and by gravity, into the spout. There will be a certain pressure imposed by this flow of water at the point of the first wiper and this pressure will result in a certain leakage by this wiper and which might be objectionable were it not for the provision of means for directing such leakage back into the spout before it had opportunity to travel toward the push-button.-

Leading from the bore of the faucet body, from a point just under the spacer, and through the thick metal of the forward collar, and into the bore of the spout, there is provided a drilled hole presented by the spacer is such as to attract water by the phenomenon of adsorption and cause it to collect until it has attained quantity sufficient to cause gravitation into the drain. Also, the

diameter of the drain is small, its length is appre-:

ciably great, and as a result water passing downwardly through it produces a slight siphon action.

on the space between the wipers; thereby discouraging anymigration of water along the stem toward the push-button.

Now as pressure is released from the pushbutton, the spring will act to close the valve and same will accurately find its seat by reason of its spherical contour. While the stem is moving forwardly in the act of closing the valve, the second wiper will wipe from the stem such thin film as may have by that time accumulated. This wiping action, coupled with the siphon action of the drain will preclude passage of water toward the push-button.

As a result of the functions and advantages of the two wipers, the spacer, and the drain, my improved faucet in actual practice does not leak beyond the outer washer and wiper; does not at any time show moisture around the pushbutton and is therefore noticeably free from accumulations. In other words; my improved faucet is easily operated, does not contain stempacking to interfere with its operation, and. while it does not prevent leakage around the stem 7 through the first wiper, it does drain the leakage back to the. spout in such manner that there is no pressure or tendency for the leakage to travel farther to points where it would be objectionable. The guide 23 and adjacent wiper serve really as a pressure reducer and baille between the water-filled part of the faucet and the spacer.

The spacer provides a vented pocket for receiving such small amount as may leak beyond the said pressure reducing means, while the outer wiper serves to direct such leakage into the drain opening and to wipe the stem of any film; while the drain opening releases pressure between the wipers to atmosphere sothat there is no'back. pressure on the outer wiper. It will now be understood that said wipers do not act as packing, are not required to be tight onthe stem in the sense that packing is regarded, and therefore the easy operation of the faucet is not interfered with by the wipers. f

The metal valve may stand in the water of the olla indefinitely without contaminating the water; as would rubber which imparts objectionable tastes. Owing to the flexibility of the stem the valve is permitted at all times to center itself properly for a water-tight seat. Each time that the valve is opened and closed it will turn slightly, due to the general design and proportions of the valve and stem and this insures even wear on the valve and seat. Should it be deemed advantageous at any time to grind the valve to its seat it will be found that rotation of the hexagonal end of the push-button will accomplish this. The said hexagonal end of the push-button also serves as a stop for the valve stem so that it cannot be pushed in far enough to produce an undue tension of the spring such as wouldunduly compress the wipers and cause them to thereby cease to function as wipers in the sense hereinbe-fore designated. Also, where inward movement of the valve is limited, and where it is desired to have full opening of the valve without undue movement of the push-button, the incompressible, accurately seating metal valve has added advantages.

While in the foregoing, I have been specific as to materials employed, construction and arrangement of parts, methods and theory of operation, etc., such is done by way of example and explanation in keeping with a full disclosure and does not limit my invention since any faucet embodying these parts or their equal for obtaining the new and useful results made possible by my invention shall be within the scope thereof.

I claim:

1. In a faucet of the class described, a body provided with a central bore open at each end thereof, a valve seat at the inner end of said bore, a valve disc seating on said seat, a push-button reciprocal in the outer end of said bore, a stem passing through said bore connecting said button with said valve disc, a stem guide dividing said bore, a spout tosaid body opening therefrom between said seat and said guide, a spring between said push-button and said guide urging said valve disc to its seat, and a pair of spaced stem wipers between said guide and said push-button providing an enclosed leakage space between them; said body provided with a vent leading from said space into said spout.

2. The faucet as in claim 1 and in which said vent is substantially vertical and of greater depth than diameter.

3. The faucet as in claim 1 and in which said wipers are discs of flexible material fitting around said shaft without binding same.

4. The faucet as in claim 1 and further including an engageable annular enlargement externally of said body between said spout and said push-button; said drain opening passing from said space through said enlargement into said spout.

5. The faucet as in claim 1 and in which said wipers comprise spaced discs of flexible material and in which said discs are held apart by a radially fluted spacer.

6. The faucet as in claim 1 and in which said wipers comprise discs of flexible material; a spacer between said wipers provided with radial flutings; said spring compressed between said push-button and the adjacent wiper.

7. The faucet as in claim 1 and in which said wipers comprise discs of flexible material; the faucet further including; washers abutting maid discs, a radially fluted spacer between said wipers and over said vent opening; said spring compressed between said push-button and the adjacent wiper; and an external enlargement to said push-button acting as a limit for inward movement thereof.

8. The faucet as in claim 1 and in which said wipers comprise discs of flexible material; the faucet further including: washers abutting said discs, a radially fluted spacer between said wipers and over said vent opening; said spring compressed between said push-button and the adjacent wiper; and an external enlargement to said push-button acting as a limit for inward movement thereof; said enlargement being polygonal and engageable to rotate said stem to turn said valve on its seat.

EDWARD L. ROBERTS. 

